Mobile
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Boomer with Attitude / News A-hole of the Week
Posted By John Grooms on Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 10:59 AM
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa hit the Asshole Politician jackpot yesterday. The Iowa Republican, already known in Washington as one of the duller knives in the drawer, added to his repertoire by simultaneously being both a lying sack and a grossly insensitive jerk. During a radio interview in Iowa City yesterday, Grassley led the conversation to one of the GOP’s favorite outright lies, i.e., “health care reform will ration medical care for senior citizens.” (NOTE: There is nothing in any of the reform bills being considered in Congress that even mentions such rationing, much less proposes it.) Lying’s bad enough, but guess what Grassley used as his bogus “example” to illustrate his lie? Ready? How about Sen. Ted Kennedy’s brain tumor?
Yep, believe it or not, Grassley told his radio listeners, “In countries that have government-run health care ... the brain tumor that Sen. Kennedy has — because he’s 77 years old — would not be treated the way it’s treated in the United States ... In other words, they’d say, ‘well he doesn’t have long to live even if he lived another four to five years ... we gotta spend money on people who can contribute more to the economy.’” Numerous things are wrong about Grassley’s statement (e.g., Kennedy is already covered by a “government-run health care” policy that functions well), but the most important one is that the Iowa senator’s claim is utterly irrelevant since the kind of system he’s talking about is not being proposed in the United States.
We’re almost getting used to the massive campaign of misinformation being waged these days by reform opponents. But for Grassley to insert this kind of lying, fear-mongering tactic into the debate by using Kennedy’s brain tumor — especially considering that Kennedy has been the strongest proponent of health care reform for decades — is morally grotesque and inexcusable. So, congrats, Larry, you’ve definitely earned our award as Asshole of the Week.
Speaking of...
Latest in The CLog
More by John Grooms
-
Lunch Break (9/1/16): Organizers unveil "People, Not Polluters" platform in Charlotte as McCrory officials testify in Raleigh
The morning already passed us by. What the hell happened?
-
Jigsaw, Dating App That Hides Users’ Faces, launches in Charlotte, NCTo Fight Superficial Dating App Culture 3
-
Question the Queen City: The story of Mabel Rea 4
The Charlotte native went Hollywood, returned home and met a tragic demise.
